Hand stamp



Dec. 21, 1943. F, A os-HER 2,337,487

HAND- STAMP Filed June 21, 1.941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

fiwrzl' Allow/law M A 7- roe/vs Dec. '21, 1943.

Filed June 21, 1941 F. A. MOSHER HAND S TAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY fiwrzxlAflfar/zer 9 K: M A

JM 4 7' TOR/VEY-S Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined dater or the like hand-stamp, with which is incorporated a counter or register in such fashion that an accurate tally may be automatically kept of the number of normal intended printed impressions made by the stamp.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of this kind that is especially well adapted for its intended use by reason of its overall size, shape and relations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

-Another object is the provision of means to guard against operation of the register or counter under certain circumstances, as for example when the printing element of the device is brought into contact with an ink pad.

Other features, objects and advantages will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows in side elevation a form of my device as held between the thumb and index finger of a user, when the stamp proper is to be brought into contact with an ink pad and operation of the counter prevented;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same device, taken at, right angles to Fig. 1 but showing the dater and counter in their relative positions as when the device has been applied to make a printed impression by the dater and bring about concurrent registering of such impression in the counter;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows on that figure;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 (minus the finger and thumb indications), showing a different form of dater in respect of the printing elements thereof and the manner of their support;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, revealing certain details of construction of the Fig. 4 dater and the threaded stud by which it is connected to the operating lever ofthe counter;

' Fig. 6 is a view partly in section taken on the line -6 of Fi Fig. '7 is a detail of the holder for the printing elements shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, showing a spring stop to normally prevent operation of the counter;

Fig. 10 shows a form of my device, similar to what is illustrated in Fig. 1, in its relation to an ink-pad structure (shown in section) specially may be accomplished without operation of the counter; and

Fig. 11 is an elevation with parts cut away and parts in section of the ink-pad structure.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 9 and 10, the shell of the counter is shown at GE. It is generally substantially cylindrical in shape, except that it may be segmented to provide a flat in which is located a window 54 through which are visible the numbers representing the totals set up by the counter mechanism. A resetting knob l5 extends from one side wall of the counter, slightly above window IQ; and from the curved perimetric wall of the counter adjacent the window [4 extends an operating lever it for the counter mechanism that is housed in the shell [2. Lever it comprises a downwardly extending portion ll (considering the positions of the drawings as normal), and a laterally extending end portion it. When the lever portion I1 is moved into the counter shell, from the Fig. l to the Fig. 2 position, the counter mechanism inside the shell is actuated, once for each such movement, so that, assuming the counter to be initially set at 0000, after ten such movements the total 0010 will appear through window I4, and so on. When there is no pressure on lever It to move part ll into the shell [2, it is automatically brought to the Fig. 1 position; that is to say, the lever is biased to the Fig. 1 position.

The dater stamp is shown generally at IS! in Figs. 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10, and at 20 in Figs. 4 and 5. The form shown for example in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a series of endless rubber bands in side-by-side arrangement, carrying the printin characters 2i and manipulated to present desired arrangements of the printing characters by means of the wheels 22, the projection of the printing characters at the line of impression being shown at 23, being the lower end of the dater. From the upper end of the dater casing [9 extends a stud 24 having its outer end threaded and adapted to pass through an aperture in the counter operating lever end portion [3, a nut 25 engaging the threaded end of the stud to hold the dater in fixed relation to the counter as shown. Preferably also there is interposed in the connection between dater and counter a suitably shaped and sized stop 25, providing in effect a finger-rest portion at the top of the dater,

apertured for the passage therethrough of stud.

24, and clamped in the Fig. 1 position by the tightening down of nut 25.

On reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the designed so that inking of the printing elements size and shape of the dater shell are such that the index finger of the user may be readily bent around its perimetric wall, while his thumb may pass forwardly under the projecting resetting knob I5, so that the device may be held firmly and yet without compelling any strained or unnatural relative positions of thumb and finger. Also, because of the relative positions of the parts, the tip of the index finger may readily be brought to the Fig. 1 position, where it engages the stop 26, with the result that contact of the. impression end 23 of the dater with an ink-pad cannot bring about an actuation of the counter mechanism. Or the positions of thumb and finger with respect to the counter shell may be shifted slightly, so that the finger tip is sufficiently away from stop 26 so that the device may be used in the normal way, i. e., moved downwardly (referring to Fig. 1) to cause a printing impression to be made by the dater, so that while the dater stops, relative downward movement of the counter continues to the Fig. 2 position, with consequent actuation of the counter mechanism via the lever :7'-!'8. The weight of the counter is applied at the finish of the printing stroke with much the effect of a hammer blow, with consequent good printing impression.

The form shown in Figs. 4 to 7 shows a different form of printing device, comprising a column 27, provided at its upper end with a stud 24 similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, for attachment to the counter lever portion iii, and recessed at its lower end to receive the printing type assembly shown in detail in Fig. '7. This assembly comprises a U-shaped spring clip 28, the arms of which are biased towards each other, the ends of the arms being turned upwardly as at 291.0. form channels as. Rubber or other printing type (or a plurality of such) is forced into the clip asv shown and held by the spring pressure thereof, the arms of the clip now appearing as. in Fig. 7, i. e., slightly spread, so that when the loaded clip is forced into 1e appropriately sized and shaped recess at the lower end of column 2! the lower edges of recess walls 3i will engage in chan nels 39 and the clip will be held frictionally in the recess with the type faces 32 projecting to the proper extent, all as shown in Figs. Q to '7.

Coming now to Figs. 8 and 9, the assembly is in general like what is shown in Figs. 1 to 3, but there is provided a means for normally preventing actuation of the counter. Such means is shown in the form of a slightly bowed: strip 33 of spring metal or material, of proper length, having a cut out tongue 3 bent away from the back and disposed longitudinally thereof. An endof" the strip is offset to extend from the back of the strip. The strip is secured to what may be called the front the counter sheli along the curved wall thereof, as by means of screws 35 so that by reason of the spring-y nature of the strip and tongue, the connection to the shell, and the dimensions and relations of the parts generally, the strip end 35 is biased to the full lineposition of Fig. 9. Consequently, relative movement between dater and counter cannot take placeunless pressure is applied to the upper end of the strip to bring and hold it in the dotted line position of Fig. 9.

In Fig. 10 the counter-dater assembly is. not provided with either the finger-piece 26 or, the spring detent 33. Instead, there is an ink-pad structure specially designed so that when the dater is applied in the act of inking the dater printing type a part of the ink-pad structure engages the counter and prevents relative movement between counter and dater and consequent actuation of the counter.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, the ink-pad 31 is at the bottom of a well defined by circular wall 38. In the act of inking the dater the device is brought to position in relation. to the ink-pad as shown in Fig. 10, that is, with the fiat l4 resting on the edge of the well curb. The wall 38 has a height such that the perpendicular distance from the surface of pad 31 to the edge of the well curb is approximately equal to the distance from the fiat M to a horizontal line passing through the impression face of the applied dater, when the dater and counter occupy the relative positions of Fig. 1, i. e., with operating lever fully projected from the counter shell. Whatever yield there may be; in pad 37; under applied pressure of the dater will be less than would be necesssaryto cause actuation of the counter mechanism; for example, it is quite usual to make the ink-pad proper of a veryporous wood, presenting a sufficient film of the ink with which it is impregnated.

I claim:

1. A device of the kind described, comprising a counter casing of generally cylinder-like con.- tour and provided with a projection extending out from a side-wall thereof and with a countermechanism operating-lever projecting downwardly out of the perimetric wall thereof adjacent said side-wall projection; a stamp element, connected to the said lever below and exteriorly of the counter casing, and having a finger-rest portion at its top, the counter casing being of such size and shape that the perimetric wall thereof may be fitted to the curved forefinger of an operators hand with the end of the finger reaching to said. finger-rest portion, while the thumb of the same hand is in position at the side-Wall of the counter casing beneath and in engagement with the said projection that extends from said side-wall, with the stamp element extending below the counter casing and ready for impression-engagement with a suitable surface therebeneath; all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2; A device; of the kind described, comprising a counter casing of generally cylinder-like contour and provided with a projection extending out from a side-wall thereof'and with a countermechanism operating-lever projecting out of the perimetric wall thereof adjacent said side-wall projection; a stamp element connected to the said lever exteri'orly of the counter, the counter- FRANK A. MOSHER. 

